Android (Rooted:) If you use ROM Manager to do full-device backups of your Android phone like we explained, there may be times when you need to dig into one of those old backups to find something you deleted. With AppExtractor, you can selectively pull apps, data, SMS and MMS messages, and other files from your ROM Manager backups.

It requires your phone be rooted to use, and it only currently works with ROM Manager backups, but if you meet both requirements, you can use this new app to dig into your old backups to find apps you may have uninstalled that are no longer available, or to pull messages from old friends that you may have lost. The app is free in the Android Market, but the free version only allows you to restore MMS and SMS messages. You'll have to pay $1.99 for the unlock key to get the app's full functionality.

If you're looking for ways to back up your device without doing whole-ROM backups, check out our guide to using Titanium Backup to set up an automated, foolproof backup process for your Android device. Titanium Backups are also a bit easier to selectively restore from as well. Still, ROM Manager can be great if you're flashing a new ROM and forgot to restore something from your backup, or if you get a replacement phone of the same make and model and use ROM Manager to move all of your data.